Branding it as fake news, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. dismissed the online report that Defense Secretary Gilberto “Gibo” Teodoro Jr. had resigned from his post.

“Talaga? May lumabas na balitang ganun? Na nag-resign daw si Sec. Gilbert Teodoro? (Really? Is there news like that? It is said that Sec. Gilbert Teodoro resigned?),” Marcos told reporters in ambush interview in Navotas City on Thursday.

“Unang una, sagutin ko yung tanong mo. Fake, fake, fake, fake, fake, fake, fake news yan (First of all, I’ll answer your question. That’s fake fake, fake, fake, fake, fake, fake news.)”

Marcos lamented that the spread of fake news was intended to create public discord and cause trouble.

“Ang lumalabas lang diyan, itong mga desperado nag iimbento na lang ng storya para gumawa na lang ng gulo. Wala naman silang naibibigay, wala silang naitutulong, wala silang kontribusyon sa buhay ng bawat Pilipino kung hindi paninira lamang, kung di panggugulo lamang (These are just invented by desperate people to make trouble. They can’t even offer anything, they can’t help, they don’t contribute good to life very Filipino but destruction and trouble only),” he said. 

Marcos urged the public to be wary against fake news.

“Wag tayong masyadong naniniwala kung wala namang pruweba sa kanilang mga sinasabi (Let’s avoid believe too much if they don’t have proof),” he said, stressing the need to validate the authenticity of spreading rumors.

Marcos said he already talked to Teodoro and both laughed off the “fake information” circulating online. 

“Dito sa isyu ng kay Sec. Teodoro, natatawa na lang kami. Sabi, tinawagan ko sya kaninang maagang maaga: “Magreresign ka daw." "Bakit," sabi niya, "Bakit, paalisin mo na ba ako?" Sabi ko, "Bakit naman kita paalisin, wala naman tayong problema." "Hindi, yun ang lumabas na balita." Eh sabi niya, "Huwag natin papansinin." Sabi ko, "Pero kailangan nating sagutin,” Marcos said.  

“At ipaliwanag sa taong bayan itong ganitong klaseng mga tsismis, mga Marites, kinakalat lang nila ito para manggulo. Huwag po kayong madala sa ganyan,” he added. 

Marcos said he will no longer pay attention to the report. 

“I have always said this, with some of these rumors that have spread around. Ang kami, we have the advantage. We know the truth. So we will give it to you as soon as we can and as quickly as we can so that people understand what is going on. Huwag po kayong maniwala,” he added. 

The President stressed that any changes in his cabinet will be officially announced by the Executive department. 

“Hindi sila ang mag-a-announce, walang alam yan. Kami ang mag-announce. Sa kasalukuyan, ngayong araw na ito, walang pagbabago. Yun lang,” he said.